Local getaways: Family deals for every wallet
Posted on Sun, Jun. 08, 2008
BY JODI MAILANDER FARRELL
BILL KEOGH / FLORIDA KEYS TDC
Beach-front camping can be found throughout the Florida Keys.
Familiarity breeds content this summer for cash-strapped families that want a low-mileage change of scenery.
Sure, it's hot here this time of year. But if there's a pool or beach nearby, who cares? Thanks to favorable Florida resident rates, you can stay a few nights at that upscale resort. Or consider the camping trip your kids have always wanted. (Hey, some of our state parks have hot showers and cabins with air-conditioning.) Explore South Florida's backyard with some of these best bets for families:
MODERATE
Head to the water and take advantage of summer deals, Florida resident rates and some resorts that have kitchens in the suites so you can keep costs down by cooking a few meals in the room.
• MARRIOTT HOLLYWOOD BEACH, 2501 N. Ocean Dr., Hollywood, 954-924-2202 or 866-306-5453; www.hollywoodbeachmarriott.com. This AAA four-diamond resort sprawls between the ocean and the Intracoastal Waterway, with a dining room, spa, fitness center and an outdoor tiki bar.
Kid appeal: A beachfront pool, chairs and umbrellas on the beach, plus sailboat and water sports rentals.
Nearby: Hollywood's Broadwalk, where you can rent bikes, shop for funky Florida souvenirs and stop for breakfast, lunch or dinner.
Rates: Florida resident rates start at $149 a night and include a room with one king or two double beds, breakfast for two and free self-parking. In a separate Endless Summer package, people who stay a minimum of two nights receive a $50 gas credit on their hotel bill, plus breakfast for two each day; from $179 a night. Some offers not available during holiday weekends.
• THE ALEXANDER, 5225 Collins Ave., Miami Beach, 305-865-6500 or 800-327-6121; www.alexanderhotel.com. The oceanfront resort has oversized suites with kitchens, living and dining rooms. One-bedroom suites are 900 square feet and have a den with an additional sleeping area suitable for little ones. There's a Shula's Steakhouse on site, plus a fitness center, salon and spa.
Kid appeal: Two lagoon-shaped pools with cabanas, beach area, outdoor grill restaurant and private marina that provides rentals for kayaking, snorkeling and banana boat rides.
Nearby: Bal Harbour Shops to the north, Jungle Island and Miami Children's Museum to the south.
Rates: A one-bedroom suite is $199 for Florida residents, Sunday-Thursday nights, and $239 for Friday and Saturday nights, with a two-night minimum stay, through Sept. 30. (In season, these suites start at $399.) A free upgrade to an ocean-view suite is available for Florida residents with an ID. A two-bedroom suite (better for bigger children) is $399 through Sept. 30.
• KEY LARGO MARRIOTT BAY, 103800 Overseas Hwy., Key Largo, 305- 453-0000; www.marriottkeylargo.com. A 55-minute drive from Miami, this resort is all about the water. There's a pool and two small sandy areas near a beach (or what resembles a beach -- remember, this is the Keys). A water sports center provides dive instruction and certifications, daily snorkel trips, wave runners, parasailing, aqua cycles, kayaks, sunset cruises and fishing charters. Three restaurants are in the complex, as well as a spa.
Kid appeal: An outdoor activities outpost, with Ping Pong, shuffleboard, foosball and air hockey games; a Kids Club for ages 5 to 13 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Wednesday through Sunday, with arts and crafts, scavenger hunts, sand castle building and beach games ($50 per child per day, including lunch) and a Kids Night Out, with games, movies and pizza, from 6 to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday nights ($30 per child, including dinner).
Nearby: John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, where there are glass bottom tours, more snorkeling excursions and rental boats.
Rates: A Florida Summer Savings package starts at $139 a night plus tax, through Sept. 15 (code ADP).
BARGAIN
Mosquitoes and no-see-ums can make camping unbearable in the summer here, unless you pick a spot near the water. Three prime state parks near us offer the necessary waterside breezes, bathrooms for us non-rugged types (read: hot showers and toilets) and even cabins to keep out the critters. Don't forget to pack bug spray, beach shoes, cooking equipment and sleeping bags (but the beauty of urban camping is that you're always near a store to make last-minute marshmallow runs).
• OLETA RIVER STATE PARK, 3400 NE 163rd St., North Miami, 305-919-1844; www.floridastateparks.org/oletariver. You'll forget you're in the middle of Miami when you're kayaking through the mangrove forest or conquering one of the off-road bike trails, which range in skill level from novice to advanced. An outdoor center (305-957-3040; //bluemoonmiami.com) rents kayaks and bikes ($12 per hour). The Blue Marlin Fish House has affordable burgers, wraps and smoked fish dip if your grilling efforts run amok. While cabins don't have bathrooms, there's a central bathhouse with hot showers. Book cabins three weeks in advance. While still available, they go fast.
Kid appeal: A manmade beach, a river that can be explored by canoe or kayak, fishing pier, butterfly garden, 15 miles of bike trails (three are paved) and a nature center. A naturalist gives 1 ½-hour guided walks along the Oleta River at 10 a.m. on Wednesdays all summer. Campers can attend a campfire talk or arts-and-crafts session for free at 6 p.m. on the first Saturday of the month. The Oleta River Adventure Association hosts a 1 ½-hour night hike, starting at 7:15 p.m., the second Saturday of the month (register at 305-919-1846).
Nearby: The Ancient Spanish Monastery in North Miami Beach, originally built in Segovia, Spain, in the 12th century and reassembled here in the 1950s. www.spanishmonastery.com.
Rates: 14 rustic, air-conditioned cabins, most with one double bed and one bunk bed, start at $45 each per night, plus tax. Each cabin has its own grill, fire pit and porch swing; bring your own linens. A youth campground with tent sites is only for organized groups. For reservations: 800-326-3521; www.reserveamerica.com.
• BAHIA HONDA, 36850 Overseas Hwy., Big Pine Key, 305-872-2353; www.bahiahondapark.com or www.floridastateparks.org/bahiahonda. This state park in the Lower Keys is known for its three beaches, sunsets, snorkeling -- and its desirability. It's almost impossible to get a cabin here without booking 11 months in advance, but campsites are still available for the summer. Bathhouses, with hot showers, are in the Buttonwood and Sandspur campgrounds. The concession rents kayaks and snorkeling gear and offers boat trips to the reef. There's a snack bar with sandwiches. In addition to a sleeping tent, consider bringing an open-air tent for shade.
Kid appeal: A nature center; a park ranger leads a beach walk at 9 a.m. on Tuesdays; a campfire circle talk with a ranger is at 8 p.m. Fridays; two hiking trails; sea turtle nesting season runs through October; bicycling and skating are allowed on the 3 ½-mile paved road and people can fish on either side of the Old Bahia Honda Bridge off the sea walls.
Nearby: Looe Key National Marine Sanctuary, site of a 1744 shipwreck, is a reef five miles offshore popular among scuba and snorkeling fans. The National Key Deer Refuge on Big Pine Key has a visitor center, with an observation platform and two nature trails. Key West is 35 miles to the south.
Rates: Three campgrounds can accommodate everything from a large RV to a small tent. Campsites are $31.49 per night, including taxes, with a maximum occupancy of eight people per site in two tents or one RV and one tent. Three duplex cabins on stilts are furnished, with accommodations for up to six people per cabin. Each has an equipped kitchen and linens. Most have central air-conditioning. Cabin rentals are $120, plus tax. Reserve at 800-326-3521; www.reserveamerica.com.
• JONATHAN DICKINSON, 16450 SE Federal Hwy., Hobe Sound, 772-546- 2771; www.floridastateparks.org/jonathandickinson. Just south of Stuart, the park is home to a 10-mile stretch of the Loxahatchee River, which winds through sand pine scrub, pine flatwoods and mangroves. Rental canoes and kayaks are available from the park's concession. There are four nature trails for hiking, plus anglers can fish along the riverbank or from a boat. Cabins are modern, wood-frame houses with equipped kitchens. Some have central air conditioning; the others have wall units. Most importantly, each one has its own full bathroom. Book a month in advance. (Check out photos of the houses at www.floridaparktours.com.)
Kid appeal: A sandy swimming beach on the shores of the river; family programs every Saturday at 10 a.m.; campfire programs each Saturday evening for overnight guests; ranger-guided nature walks each Sunday at 9 a.m.; ranger tours of the 1930s pioneer homestead of Trapper Nelson; paved and off-road biking; hiking trails; an education and research center and the 25-passenger Loxahatchee Queen II, which offers two-hour tours of the river.
Nearby: Blowing Rocks Preserve is to the south on Jupiter Island, a public beach where saltwater shoots up to 50 feet skyward through the limestone shoreline during high tides. Florida Oceanographic Coastal Center is just north in Stuart, with a small aquarium, touch tanks and a feed-the-stingrays program.
Rates: Twelve tiny houses with kitchens and bathrooms come furnished; each sleeps four. Rentals are $85 and $95 a night, with a $50 security deposit and two-night minimum on weekends and holidays. Bring your own pillows and linens. Cabins must be booked through the park. Campsites for tents, trailers or motor homes are available for $22 a night at two campgrounds, both with bathhouses and hot showers. Reserve campsites at 800- 326-3521; www.reserveamerica.com.
SPLURGE
Treat the family to a stay in one of the region's most luxurious, child-friendly hotels or resorts.
• TRANQUILITY BAY, 2600 Overseas Hwy., Marathon, 305-289-0888 or 866-MID-KEYS; www.tranquilitybay.com. Two- and three-bedroom beach houses overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, just a 90-minute drive from Miami. Each cottage comes with a fully equipped kitchen, 2 ½ bathrooms, TVs with cable service with HBO, DVD and CD players, a washer and dryer, daily maid service, locally inspired art work and spacious porches with water views. There's a private, 2 ½-acre beach with tiki bar; a lagoon-style pool; a second, adults-only pool; a fitness center and an 18-hole Jack Nicklaus putting green. Fishing charters will pick you up at the resort's dock and the on-site restaurant will cook your catch.
Kid appeal: Daily arts and crafts, games and contests on the beach; rentals for on-site water sports like jet skis, parasailing, kite boarding and small boats, and guided eco-tours of the Keys.
Nearby: The Turtle Hospital next door has tours. The Dolphin Research Center offers in-water encounters. Key West is a 45-minute drive away.
Rates: Florida residents who book by June 15 can get a two-bedroom water-view cottage for $404 a night during the week or $504 on weekends (a $75 daily savings from normal rates). The booking can be for any time between June 16 and Aug. 31, with a three-night minimum. When booking online, click on corporate rates and enter the code ``tbpreferredsummer523.''
• RITZ-CARLTONKEY BISCAYNE, 455 Grand Bay Dr., Key Biscayne, 305-365-4500; www.ritzcarlton.com. This is Miami's only AAA five-diamond resort and there's plenty to keep the entire family satisfied on the island side of the Rickenbacker Causeway: two oceanfront pools, a beach with cabanas, spa, fitness center, stellar restaurants, tennis center (there are even lessons for toddlers), a supervised Ritz Kids program with its own playground, and rentals for windsurfing, sailing and kayaking in Biscayne Bay.
Kid appeal: Through Aug. 15, the tennis center offers an Adventure Camp for ages 5-12, with tennis, soccer and basketball skill development, fishing, arts and crafts, pool and beach activities, team competitions, relay races and weekly field trips. The five-day sessions are available as a full-day (9 a.m.-3 p.m.) or half-day (9 a.m.-noon) camp. It's open to local children, but those staying at the hotel can opt to attend for any number of days. The cost is the same as the Ritz Kids rate ($90 for a full day, $50 for a half day). A Summer Tennis Camp also is available in five-day sessions from June 2-Aug. 22.
Nearby: Bill Baggs Cape Florida State Park. A Voluntourism program at the Ritz hooks guests up with park rangers to help restore native plants to Cape Florida about twice a month. www.floridastateparks.org/capeflorida.
Rates: Residential suites are best for families; each one has a king-size bed in the bedroom, a sofa pullout bed in the living room and a kitchen area. In July, a one-bedroom, Resort View Residence starts at $549. A one-bedroom, Oceanview Residence is $585. A one-bedroom, Oceanfront Residence is $549 and a two-bedroom Oceanfront Residence is $1,200. A summer Reconnect package includes 20 percent off beach cabanas and water sports rentals, 15 percent off tennis clinics and lessons, and 20 percent off Ritz Kids. Standard rooms from $249; packages through June 28 start at $269. A regular room with two double beds starts at $249 in the summer.
• THE BILTMORE, 1200 Anastasia Ave., Coral Gables, 305-445-8066 or 800-915-1926; www.biltmorehotel.com. You haven't truly indulged in South Florida's landmark hotel until you've stayed for a few days. In addition to the ginormous pool, there's the renovated 18-hole, par 71 golf course, 10 tennis courts, a spa, fitness center and four restaurants.
Kid appeal: A classic afternoon tea service with live music makes your little one feel like Eloise at The Plaza.
Nearby: Cafés and shops along Miracle Mile and at Merrick Place.
Rates: The summer rate for a superior king suite starts at $169; a junior suite with two queen beds is $239. Bed and breakfast rate from $199.
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